How difficult is the real estate licensing exam?

The exam is moderately difficult. First-attempt pass rates generally run between about 50% and 75% depending on the state, and most states set the passing score at 70% to 75%. Washington's Department of Licensing reported that 73% of first-time takers passed the national portion in March 2024. Retakes are usually allowed, though Texas requires extra education after three failed attempts on either portion.

The Georgia real estate licensing exam is administered by PSI Services LLC and requires a passing score determined by psychometrically sound criterion-related methods, as established by the Georgia Real Estate Commission. The exam covers both national real estate content and Georgia-specific laws and rules. First-try pass rates are estimated at roughly half to two-thirds of candidates, based on reports from education providers.

The Hawaii real estate licensing exam consists of two sections, uniform (general) and state, administered by PSI Services, LLC. Salesperson candidates must achieve a passing score of 70% on each section, while broker candidates must achieve 75%. No statewide pass rate is published by the Hawaii Real Estate Commission or PSI, so the exam's difficulty cannot be quantified from official data. Candidates who pass one section but fail the other need retake only the failed section, as long as they retake within two years of the first passed section and hold an unexpired School Completion Certificate.

The salesperson exam consists of 80 national questions and 40 Idaho-specific questions, with a passing scaled score of 70 on a 0 to 100 scale. First-time pass rates are 74% on the national portion and 64% on the Idaho portion, with retake pass rates of 45% and 51%, respectively. Candidates may retake one or both portions as many times as needed by registering and paying the exam fee.

The Illinois broker exam consists of 140 scored questions across two portions: 100 national questions with a 70% passing score (150 minutes allowed) and 40 state questions with a 75% passing score (90 minutes allowed). An additional 5 to 10 unscored experimental questions may be administered and count against exam time. Candidates may attempt the exam up to 4 times within a 2-year eligibility period, and after a fourth failure must retake the full 75-hour pre-license education. The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) does not publish a statewide pass rate.

The Michigan real estate exam is administered by PSI and covers both national and state-specific real estate content. The exam is split into two portions, and candidates must pass both to pass overall. The 40-hour prelicensure education requirement for salespersons is designed to prepare candidates for the exam. Exam results are valid for 1 year from the date of passing, the exam fee is $79 per attempt, and candidates who fail can retake the exam.

The Missouri salesperson exam consists of 100 national questions and 40 state questions, scored independently with a passing threshold of 70% on the national portion (70 of 100 correct) and 75% on the state portion (30 of 40 correct). Both portions must be passed to be eligible for a license.

The Nevada salesperson licensing exam consists of 80 scored national questions and 40 scored state questions, with a 75% passing score required on each portion. Candidates have 240 minutes total to complete both portions, at 150 minutes for the national section and 90 minutes for the state section. If a candidate fails one portion, only that portion needs to be retaken.

The Tennessee affiliate broker exam is a multiple-choice test administered by PSI in two sections: a 160-minute national section and an 80-minute state section, totaling approximately 4 hours. Candidates must score at least 70% on each section to pass. If a candidate passes one section but fails the other, only the failed section needs to be retaken, and the passing score remains valid for two retakes or one year, whichever comes first. The Tennessee Real Estate Commission and PSI do not publish an official statewide pass rate, so exam difficulty cannot be measured against a published benchmark.

The Texas real estate sales agent exam has a first-time pass rate of 56.12% based on TREC data from December 2023 through November 2025, with 16,824 of 29,980 first-attempt test takers passing both portions. The exam consists of 85 national items (80 scored) and 50 state items (40 scored), with 4 hours total to complete both sections. To pass, candidates must answer 56 of 80 national questions correctly and 28 of 40 state questions correctly. Candidates who fail three times must complete 30 additional hours of education for one failed portion or 60 hours for both portions before retesting.

Wyoming's real estate salesperson exam requires a passing score of 70% on both the national and state portions. The exam consists of 120 scored questions (80 national and 40 state). Wyoming does not publish exam pass rates, so no state-specific difficulty data is available. Nationally, roughly half of first-time test-takers pass the real estate licensing exam. Pearson VUE, the exam administrator, offers practice tests for $19.95 covering general real estate topics.